Winner of the 2020 EcoSanta Design an Outfit Competition was Sophie Fretwell (pictured right). Her winning Design is pictured left.
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Sophie is a Theatre Designer and Illustrator, based in Dorset, with a First Class Degree in Costume and Performance Design and a Masters in Animation. She has a passion for staying in the county and working with local communities, creating socially engaged artistic activity. Her website is at ArtStation.com/sophie-fretwell
Sophie's commented on being informed of her win:-
'The idea of re-branding Santa, as an ecological figure, really appealed to me and I enjoyed every minute of designing an eco-themed outfit for him. Christmas is always a time of excess and waste and I think it's important to really think about the sustainability of the gifts we give each other. I wanted to design a Santa with a clear connection to nature, so I went for a woodsman vibe; a man who understands that nature itself is a gift!'
Sophie's commented on being informed of her win:-
'The idea of re-branding Santa, as an ecological figure, really appealed to me and I enjoyed every minute of designing an eco-themed outfit for him. Christmas is always a time of excess and waste and I think it's important to really think about the sustainability of the gifts we give each other. I wanted to design a Santa with a clear connection to nature, so I went for a woodsman vibe; a man who understands that nature itself is a gift!'
Judges comments on Sophie's entry:-
'The judges particularly liked how this image will naturally appeal to teenagers. It will bring them on board at that moment they might otherwise abandon Santa altogether. Sophie's EcoSanta character conveys a very different message to the conventional sleigh-bound one. Sophie's EcoSanta looks like a guy much toughened by life, the real world, yet remaining fantastically strong in his resolve and commitment to give his all. Behind this image is the guru, the saint, the sage, the streetwise guy, the animal-lover, the penniless pauper, the hunter-explorer on the frontier of alien lands, and a vestige of dear old Santa. Sophie's EcoSanta measures up as 'a hero with a thousand faces', as Joseph Campbell would say.'
The 3 runners-up in the Design an EcoSanta Outfit Competition are Cristina Mackenzie, Daniel MacAlpine and Annie MacDonald. Their entries are pictured left, centre, and right respectively.
'The judges particularly liked how this image will naturally appeal to teenagers. It will bring them on board at that moment they might otherwise abandon Santa altogether. Sophie's EcoSanta character conveys a very different message to the conventional sleigh-bound one. Sophie's EcoSanta looks like a guy much toughened by life, the real world, yet remaining fantastically strong in his resolve and commitment to give his all. Behind this image is the guru, the saint, the sage, the streetwise guy, the animal-lover, the penniless pauper, the hunter-explorer on the frontier of alien lands, and a vestige of dear old Santa. Sophie's EcoSanta measures up as 'a hero with a thousand faces', as Joseph Campbell would say.'
The 3 runners-up in the Design an EcoSanta Outfit Competition are Cristina Mackenzie, Daniel MacAlpine and Annie MacDonald. Their entries are pictured left, centre, and right respectively.
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Cristina's EcoSanta is the one the judges felt most closely aligned with the overall theme of an ecological Santa. Her 'Santa Grows' (Santa Glanadh in gaelic) is an even bigger basis for EcoSanta's character; one ripe for exploration! Of the nine entries sent in by the Leverhulme Memorial School in Harris, some of which were very artistic, Cristina's EcoSanta showed a great thinking-through of the theme. The clothes we wear say a lot about who we are, and how we want to present ourselves in the world. To openly champion animals through the animal-motifs and perhaps grow a wildlife garden too as a personal link to the land is a great way for EcoSanta to appear to his admiring public!
Daniel's EcoSanta is dominated by the traditional colour red and has an appealing innocence of face that immediately warms the heart. Daniel's Save the Planet Santa shows an alternative artistic way of 'joining up aspects and fragments' of his personality, old and new, to create a bright inviting image, especially with all that chocolate! It speaks of the long way yet to go to re-create the spark of green first glimpsed in Santa's earliest incarnation as Saint Francis of Assisi.
Annie's EcoSanta is as different again. Entitled 'Clean-up Santa', Annie's interpretation appeals to the practical down-to-earth person who simply wants to get the job that urgently needs to be done, done. It's a wonderful perspective for promoting direct action. Annie certainly has her finger on the pulse of the generation who are set to do this for the sake of everyone alive on our planet, including all the other species.
A special 'thank-you' goes to Headteacher Rhoda MacDonald, for sending her pupils' nine very different and highly individualised EcoSantas. Together they help open the potential for EcoSanta's growth, development and evolution in the future.
Daniel's EcoSanta is dominated by the traditional colour red and has an appealing innocence of face that immediately warms the heart. Daniel's Save the Planet Santa shows an alternative artistic way of 'joining up aspects and fragments' of his personality, old and new, to create a bright inviting image, especially with all that chocolate! It speaks of the long way yet to go to re-create the spark of green first glimpsed in Santa's earliest incarnation as Saint Francis of Assisi.
Annie's EcoSanta is as different again. Entitled 'Clean-up Santa', Annie's interpretation appeals to the practical down-to-earth person who simply wants to get the job that urgently needs to be done, done. It's a wonderful perspective for promoting direct action. Annie certainly has her finger on the pulse of the generation who are set to do this for the sake of everyone alive on our planet, including all the other species.
A special 'thank-you' goes to Headteacher Rhoda MacDonald, for sending her pupils' nine very different and highly individualised EcoSantas. Together they help open the potential for EcoSanta's growth, development and evolution in the future.
It is Ecologisers' intention to run this competition on an annual basis. Details of the 2021 version and how to enter will be posted here in January 2021.
Copyright Ann Palmer and Sophie Fretwell 2020
